Pineda scheduled to throw live batting practice in two weeks

Via Chad Jennings: Michael Pineda is scheduled to throw live batting practice in two weeks, the first time he will face hitters since having shoulder surgery last May. The right-hander will throw a 45-pitch bullpen session tomorrow and said he has not had any discomfort so far. This is obviously a pretty huge step for the 24-year-old, who still has a long way to go before getting into any kind of game action or actually contributing to the big league team. Still, pretty awesome news.

Exciting. Still sucks that he is injured, but don’t really expect Montero to be any upgrade at DH this year over Hafner.

Who hates bunts more? Axisa or Earl Weaver?

Well, we got this going for us, which is nice.

http://Penuellaw.com Cuso

Gunga lagunga …Gunga galunga

trr

here’s hoping….

rjfromscottsdaleaz

well he would be a great help in 2013 being a yankee fan for 57 now..he just needs to take one giant step at a time…bring him on slowly mr cashman…

jjyank

Good to hear. Progress! I’ve always been a bit bullish on Pineda, including his recovery. Awesome to know he’s progressing without any issues so far.

Get Phelps Up

I am probably rooting for Pineda more than any other Yankee this year.

Cris Pengiucci

Get Pineda Up? I’m with you. Anxious to see if the Yankees can get anything out of him (and quite hopeful they will). Love hearing good news like this. 45 pitches in a BP session, then facing live batters in 2 weeks. I hope he comes through without any major setbacks and is able to contribute something this season, setting him up to be a starter next season.

Mike Myers

I keep forgetting he is on the team.

hogsmog

How long does he need to pitch in AAA to save a year of team control? (I’m assuming that’s what will happen regardless of his recovery)

DropkickMurphy

@Hogsmog – He’s already pitched a full season in the majors for Seattle, so service time isn’t relevant. He’ll be in the rotation when he’s ready to go.

jjyank

No, from what I’ve heard, they can affect his service time if he spends a certain amount of time in the minors. I’m not sure what it is, however.

Laz

Well he is at 2.00 exact, they would have to keep him down there about a month for the extra year, bit longer if they want delay arbitration too.

jjyank

What do you mean by “2.00 exact”? He only has 1 year of service time, right?

forensic

Last year counted as a year, so they’ve already lost one that they traded for.

your friend from africa

1 African year is the answer.

Robinson Tilapia

I laughed.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

About two weeks. But that’s on an optional assignment, rehab doesn’t count. Once he’s done rehabbing the shoulder and is ready to go, they’ll have to activate him from the DL and option him down to Triple-A.

Tom

I think to delay FA and get an extra year it’s only a few weeks – he’s at an even 2 years right now so it’s pretty much the same sort of timeframe a rookie would have in terms of getting another year. This would be after they deem the rehab officially over (comes off the DL and optioned down).

This shouldn’t be confused with the Super Two dates (3 arbitration years vs 4) which generally means a mid June(ish) callup. Given that Pineda will be accruing MLB service time while rehabbing once the season starts this will push that date way back for him. So say he’s off the DL at the end of May (completely arbitrary date), that would mean an extra 2 months beyond the typical June Super Two date.

Tom

Ehh.. Mike A beat me to it.

(and was far less longwinded!)

Need Pitching & Hitting (but mostly hitting)

He’d just have to finish the year with less than 172 days of MLB service time for the year (time on DL and rehab assignment counts as service time).
To accomplish less than 172 days, he’d just have to be optioned to the minors for at least 20 days.

Strat

If I remember correctly, it isn’t all that long. Like six weeks to two months should do it?

Robinson Tilapia

I hereby dub any good Pineda news the “Anti-Wells.”

LItFig

Good news! I’m pulling for him to get back to the majors, even if it’s late in the season and he isn’t really needed.

Midwestyankee

Pitching is always more important than hitting, especially in the playoffs. Can anyone remember way back to ’12, when a home run hitting powerhouse looked really anemic against some pretty good pitching in Detroit?

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

Pitching is always more important than hitting, especially in the playoffs.

Not true, at all. Especially in the AL East.

Rankie

and how did that work out for the Yankees last year Mike? There Pitching was outstanding and Det just steam rolled them.

http://www.riveraveblues.com Mike Axisa

You just made my point. If pitching was so important the Yankees would have won last year.